A pointed end to the Julie MacDonald era

Last week, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced its revised critical habitat designation for the Canada lynx. (Hat tip, ESABlawg.) Back in the day when Julie MacDonald was serving Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks, FWS had designated just over 1,800 square miles as lynx critical habitat. After MacDonald was forced out for improper political meddling in ESA decisions, FWS agreed to review this decision among others. On reconsideration, it now finds that lynx critical habitat includes more than 39,000 square miles, or more than 20 times the area originally designated. What a difference an election makes!